Background and activities

Co-Director Centre of Molecular Inflammation Research and Professor in Cell Biology at Dept of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, head of research group on Molecular Mechanisms of Mycobacterial Infections, teaching immunology, cell bio

Post doctoral position at Dept. of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, NTNU, 2001-2002

PhD (Dr.Philos) in Immunology/Cell Biology at Dept. of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, NTNU, 2001

MSc (sivilingeniør) in Biotechnology at The Norwegian Institute of Technology (NTH, later NTNU), 1995

Research activities and interests

My research is focused on host-pathogen interactions between innate immune cells and bacterial pathogens, e.g. mycobacteria and uropathogenic E. coli. The focus on mycobacteria comes from an interest in Global Health issues, in particular infectious diseases like tuberculosis where the world is in great need for new medications and vaccines, and where our basic research may contribute in revealing new therapeutic or vaccine targets. The macrophage is always in focus, but since the discovery of the anti-bacterial functions of lipocalin 2, I have initiated and contributed in projects exploring the role of lipocalin 2 in infectious diseases or use as a biomarker in diverse conditions.

My research group is part of a larger intitiative on molecular mechanisms of inflammation research, CEMIR.